AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Mount Kazbek doesn’t exist,” he states simply.
Doesn’t exist? But I swear that’s where dad is.
Pressing my lips together, I nod solemnly. Not fully willing to believe the odd satyr. “Fine, do you’ve anything on Persephone or the plague?”
The elderly satyr's eyes grow wide, looking almost murderous, “Do not speak of that name here!” His voice was not shouting but regardless, it was forceful.
“My mistake.” I take a step back from the circulation counter. “And the plague?”
“There are two shelves,” snapping his fingers, an owl dived from the ceiling. Resting on his finger, the satyr continues. “Olive here will take you to the shelves.”
Nodding suspicious, I watch Olive from a distance. “Are there any from the earliest days of the plague?”
Olive is tawny in color with flecks of silver. Two large golden eyes like orbs flash to me, as if knowing my discomfort and honing in. I recognized the bird instantly. The one who ratted me out to the satyr during my last adventure. She glares at me like she knows that I'm up to no good.
The owl rotates her neck to watch me and listen to her master. Now, she looks like one of those mud dolls that dad and I used to make after spring showers. Well, when I got distracted and put their heads on backwards. Dad would laugh before helping me fix our little golems.
Whispering to the unflinching owl, Marsyas finally remarks audibly, “Yes, but even less. Likely less than fifteen or so tomes. Now do not mess up my shelves or put anything back willy nilly. You want something sorted, please hold the book up and an owl will file it. Like this,” holding a hand up, ebony owl dives from the sky like he sees a mouse and whisks away the scrolls. “Now Olive, get going and help our lovely guest.”
Holding my hand out, Olive slips reluctantly on my fingers. Her talons dig into my skin.
Smiling, I reach out to brush her soft downy feathers. “Wait!” The Keeper shouts, “Don’t!”
Too late. The beak of the bird clamps down my pointer finger. Screeching louder than a crow, I pull my finger from its grip. My finger isn’t bleeding, but I feel a nasty bruise forming already. “Stupid angry bird,” I grumble. “If you didn’t want me to pet you, don’t be so soft and cute.”
Marsyas stands tall, returning to his normal unwavering and emotionless form.
“Okay, stupid bird, show me where the books on the plague are,” I whisper.
Olive snaps her beak at me. As if warning me to watch myself. Rolling my eyes, I stick my tongue out at the owl as I follow the briefest of directions that the satyr gave me.
Flying up softly, the bird beats her beautiful wings, flying up the stairs ahead of me. Running, I'm in hot pursuit of her as she bobs and weaves between the library books. Before I slow to a stop, Olive is flinging books into the air.
Holding out my hands, I try to catch the scrolls and tomes before they hit the ground. The tomes slow to a stop. Suspended above the ground for a couple of moments before jolting up into the air and stacking neatly on a nearby table.
“Olive?” The owl scours the shelves and does not flinch at the sound of its name. “While you're pulling the volumes for me, where can I find maps?”
The bird releases a piercing hoot.
A small silver bird dives down from the sky. Soft small wings beat around me. This bird looks much more approachable and less… Well touchy. She looks like a lovely little moon.
Sena. I'm naming you Sena, “Can you take me to the maps?”
Soft hoots erupt from her chest. She flies more casually. Beating her wings in line with my steps, I follow along far away to a side room filled with maps. Scrolls stacked four shelves high. “Sena, I'm looking for Mount Kazbek. Can you bring me a map with that mountain on it?”
She hoots and zooms off to the shelves.
A map of the Courts lies pinned and covers one entire wall. The yellow woven tapestry shows the four courts. Hades’s land spans the north and is labeled as Erebus. Off to the east is Arva which is the land controlled by Demeter. Then off to the west is Poseidon’s court named Marium. Then finally is Caelum which is Apollo’s court. Standing, I stare at the quadrants, looking for Kazbek. Each section, other than the mostly blank Erebus, takes me approximately thirty minutes to fully pour through.
Moving close, I look at the boundary lines between the courts. There appears to be designated crossing areas to each of the neighboring courts. One off to Poseidon’s Court, one to Mount Olympus, and one path to Demeter’s Court. These paths look like a bridge over the Veil.
“I didn’t know that Veil divides the courts,” I whispered.
After what feels like eternity, I look up at Sena who’s looking frustrated. “Any luck with finding anything on the Kazbek Mountain?”
Sena shakes her head.
“Darn. Do you have any books on the whereabouts of Persephone? Specifically, what happened before, during, and after she went missing?” Pulling my fingers through my hair, I pour over the map.
